Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) | nickname = | map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = India Punjab | pushpin_label_position = right | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | latd = 31.64 | latm = | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 74.86 | longm = | longs = | longEW = E | coordinates_display = inline,title | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = India | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Punjab | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Amritsar | established_title = | established_date = | founder = | named_for = | government_type = | governing_body = | leader_title1 = Akal Takht | leader_name1 = | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_rank = | area_total_km2 = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_total = 1132761 | population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_metro = 1183705 | population_metro_footnotes = | population_demonym = Amritsari | population_footnotes = | demographics_type1 = Languages | demographics1_title1 = Official | demographics1_info1 = Punjabi | timezone1 = IST | utc_offset1 = +5:30 | postal_code_type = PIN | postal_code = 143-001 | area_code_type = Telephone code | area_code = 91 183 XXX XXXX | registration_plate = PB02 | website = www.amritsarcorp.com | footnotes = }}
A typical chilly Amritsar morning
Amritsar ( pronunciation (help·info); Punjabi pronunciation: [əmːɾɪt̪səɾ], (Punjabi: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ) historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as Ambarsar) is a city in the north-western part of India. It is the spiritual centre for the Sikh religion and the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district in the state of Punjab.
It is home to the Harmandir Sahib (referred to as the “Golden Temple” in the western media), the spiritual and cultural center for the Sikh religion. This important Sikh shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal with more than 100,000 visitors on week days alone and is the most popular destination for Non-resident Indians (NRI) in the whole of India. The city also houses the Sikh temporal and political authority, Akal Takht, as well as the Sikh Parliament.
The 2011 Indian census reported the population of the city to be 1,132,761. Amritsar is